In the near future, we'll be launching a brand new website for HOL (the 5th in our nearly 17 year history).

We have spent over a year building it from the ground up and can't wait to introduce you to all the new and improved functionalities. Rest assured that all your points, awards, quills and pets will transfer with you. Some information won't transfer though, such as your logs and messages (so make sure you save copies of anything you want to keep). Some features might take slightly longer to go live, but we'll be working continuously to get everything working as it should be. HOL might look and work differently but it will still be the same community we have now.

You can look forward to a striking website that runs more smoothly, is easier to navigate and works far better with a range of devices. We've also finally gotten on top of that doxy infestation in the 5th floor corridor.

Sooooo is there going to be like an FAQ about the whole site being switched over or do we all just get to sit around and speculate what we may or may not lose?

Will there also be a thread where we can ask questions and get an answer with a somewhat acceptable response time?

Also, will there be some sort of tutorial per say on how to do things on the new site once it launches? I understand there is some excitement with discovering a site all over again, but when you’ve been here for 7+ years, sometimes you don’t feel like relearning the whole thing over again.

Star Andromeda Black wrote:Will our beans transfer? How about if we are growing plants in the greenhouse, will we lose them?

Your beans will transfer. Gringotts will be added in a later update, but we’ll be crediting everyone’s bean pouch with the interest you would have accrued at the time of the transfer as well as the amount of beans deposited. Your plants in the greenhouse will be safe, but as with Gringotts, the Greenhouses will be added in a later update.

Felicia wrote:Oh Merlin! Do I have to come up with another password?

Your password will remain the same.

Prof. Ryan Granger wrote:Sooooo is there going to be like an FAQ about the whole site being switched over or do we all just get to sit around and speculate what we may or may not lose?

More details will be announced closer to the time. We will be sure to include these announcements in prominent places, so that everyone will be kept informed. Any questions you have in the meantime, feel free to ask here.

Prof. Ryan Granger wrote:Also, will there be some sort of tutorial per say on how to do things on the new site once it launches?

The new website as a whole will be much easier to navigate than the current one. There will also be directions included as part of the design, as well as "What's New" documentation provided with each update.

Prof. Kath Snape wrote:Any idea when the new HOL website will take place?? Weeks ? Months?

It is difficult to pinpoint when the testing period will be over. We are working many hours each day trying to make sure everything is working properly. We plan on having a countdown once we are able to set a final date, which might not be that far into the future.

"I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do."
- Edward Everett Hale

Arianna Stonewater wrote:Will this affect how Hogsmeade/The Forums/Classes/point-quill-award submissions/etc all look/operate or just the main HOL page?

The overall look and feel of the main HOL website will change. Some aspects will operate slightly differently. Dario and I have made every effort to make things more straight-forward and easier to use.

The appearance of the HOL Forum will also change so that it is more cohesive with the new website, but the functionality will remain the same.

"I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do."
- Edward Everett Hale

I am extremely excited to see the new site, however I do wonder if the links for the HOL forum and Common Rooms will stay the same. Also, will the address for HOL change (from hol.org.uk to something else))?

Thank you so much Amy and Dario, I’m sure the new cite will be awesome!

Shadow Gaunt"In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes."-Benjamin Franklin

Shadow Gaunt wrote:I am extremely excited to see the new site, however I do wonder if the links for the HOL forum and Common Rooms will stay the same. Also, will the address for HOL change (from hol.org.uk to something else))?

Thank you so much Amy and Dario, I’m sure the new cite will be awesome!

All the domains will remain the same. The upgrade will not affect the common rooms in any way. The forum will undergo some make-up changes to make it more cohesive with the main site, as Amy pointed out above. Despite that, everything is going to remain at the same core link as now (https://hol.org.uk/). Cheers!